Shiffrin and Chodounsky Wrap Up World Cup
ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (March 20, 2016) – The World Cup season wrapped up Sunday with another sunny and warm spring day in the Swiss Alps at the World Cup Finals with men’s slalom and women’s giant slalom. David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) just missed the top 20, while Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) showed promise in GS despite skiing out in the first run.
“It was an unfortunate way to finish the season, but at the same time, we know (David) has made a huge step and we’ve got to stick to that positive here at the end of the season,” Men’s Head Coach Sasha Rearick said. “He really made a step this season in both GS and slalom. Consistency wise, he’s been much better.”
Chodounsky, who posted seven top-20 World Cup results - including fourth at Val d’Isere - this season, finished 21st in the men’s final slalom race of the season. Meanwhile Shiffrin, who was leading the women’s giant slalom by .76 at the first split, caught an edge and did not finish the first run.
Mikaela Shiffrin crashed the first run of GS.
“I was real excited about my skiing up until that point,” Shiffrin said. “I twisted out of the turn too soon. It’s a really big bummer, but I’m so much happier skiing the course like that and not finishing, than skiing really slow. I know my GS skiing is good, and at least I got to one split to prove that.”
In the men’s slalom race, Sweden’s Andre Myhrer nipped Austria’s Marcel Hirscher by 0.14 to take the victory. Norway’s Sebastian Foss-Solevaag was third. Overall World Cup slalom champion Henrik Kristofferson, who had the title wrapped up before Sunday’s final after winning six slalom events this season, finished 19th. Marcel Hirscher won the overall men’s World Cup title.
In the women’s giant slalom, Germany’s Viktoria Rebensburg skied a spectacular second run to win by 0.46 over France’s Taina Barioz. Overall World Cup winner Lara Gut of Switzerland was third. However, the most exciting finish of the day was Austria’s Eva-Maria Brem, who needed to finish fourth or better in Sunday’s final race to win the overall World Cup giant slalom title – and she did by just 0.04 seconds, finishing two points ahead of Rebensburg.
David Chodounsky took 21st in the men's slalom.
Up next, the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships take place March 22-27 where the best skiers in the nation will head to the place skiing began in the United States – Sun Valley.
“We’re heading to Nationals in Sun Valley. I’m doing the GS and slalom, and I’ve never been there before,” Shiffrin said. “I’m really excited. I feel like I have one more shot at racing GS, and hopefully I can go out with a bang!”
HIGHLIGHTS
- David Chodounsky finished 21st in the final World Cup slalom race of the season Sunday in St. Moritz.
- Chodounsky finished the season ranked 15th in the world in slalom.
- Sweden’s Andre Myhrer won his sixth career World Cup slalom Sunday.
- Henrik Kristofferson won his first overall World Cup slalom crystal globe
- Marcel Hirscher won the overall men’s World Cup title.
- Lara Gut of Switzerland won the overall women’s World Cup title.
- Austria’s Eva-Maria Brem won the overall World Cup giant slalom title by just two points over Germany’s Viktoria Rebensburg.
QUOTES
Mikaela Shiffrin
I was real excited about my skiing up until that point. I twisted out of the turn too soon. It’s a really big bummer, but I’m so much happier skiing the course like that and not finishing, than skiing really slow. I know my GS skiing is good, and at least I got to one split to prove that.
It’s really warm, so (the course) is not rock solid, but the surface was hard - I loved it. Obviously I loved it for the gates that I skied, and then I loved it when I was sliding down the course on my butt.
We’re heading to Nationals in Sun Valley. I’m doing the GS and slalom, and I’ve never been there before. I’m really excited. I feel like I have one more shot at racing GS there, and hopefully I can go out with a bang!
Sasha Rearick - Men’s Head Coach
[On David Chodounsky's season and today's performance]
Daver has had a great season. He really, really made a step this season in both GS and slalom. Consistency-wise he’s been much better. Working with his service guy, Matteo (Fattor) has done a fantastic job. The coaches have really kept it simple for him. Today first run he came out and executed that. He missed a little bit of time coming on to the flats – that was probably the six tenths he lost in that first run. Second run he tried to push the envelope and I think at the same time he skied just thinking too much – a little tense. It was an unfortunate way to finish the season, but at the same time, we know he’s made a huge step and we've got to stick to that positive here at the end of the season.
[On the depth of the men's tech team and future development]
Only having one guy here in slalom is a bummer…Ted (Ligety) will be back, and we’ve got some young guys coming up that need to put in a lot of hard work and really make the step to broaden their skills to be able to handle all hills at all times and ski consistently fast on the World Cup. That’s AJ Ginnis, Mark Engel and Michael Ankeny. Those guys all have the capacity to make a big step next year and we’re putting together a plan right now so that the athletes can make that step. I look forward to working with them and going through that process.
Broadcast and Streaming Schedule (all times EDT)
Sunday, March 20
7:00 p.m. - Women's giant slalom, St. Moritz - NBCSN
RESULTS
Final World Cup Giant Slalom Standings
Final World Cup Slalom Standings
Final World Cup Standings
Men
